Whole Braised Pork Belly Black Vinegar Caramel
This couldn't be easier or more exotic. Use any size belly from 1 to 1.5 kg . If you use a belly larger than 1-1.5 kg then double the recipe. At least 5 people can dine on a 1.5 kg piece as it is rich and ever so delicious. Serve it with rice and salad. It could also make a great entree (appetiser) for more people served in smaller slices and in small bowls. This recipe uses Aust cup measurements.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Pork Belly
- 2 Tablespoon oil any kind
- 80 gm sugar 4 tablespoons
- pinch of salt
- 4 Tablespoons ginger grated
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 40 ml dark soy 2 tablespoons
- 80 ml light soy 4 Tablespoons
- 80 ml Shoashing Chinese Cooking wine or dry sherry, 4 Tablespoons
- 150 ml black Vinegar **
- 40 ml Sesame oil
- 1 green onion sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds toasted
Instructions
- Rice and salad to serve You will need an oven proof baking dish big enough to fit the pork belly in.**
- Set the oven to 190 C / 375 F
- Heat the baking dish on the stove top. Add the oil and seal the Pork belly ( this is for extra taste and colour.) Once browned turn off and set aside.
- In a bowl mix the sugar, ginger, garlic, light soy, dark soy, black vinegar, sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Stir together well.
- Pour over the Pork belly. Turn the belly skin side up and cover with foil.
- Put into the oven and bake for 1 hour. Take the dish from the oven and test the pork with a fork. If it falls apart easily it is ready however if it is still a little resistant return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Test again. One hour should be enough unless the Belly is very thick and meaty like the one in the video.
- Serve immediately. If cooking ahead (which is also great) once chilled you may scrap off a bit of the fat that settles on the top before reheating in the sauce . this can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave ( both covered to stop the Pork and sauce from drying out).
Notes
**Make sure the oven dish is not too much larger than the pork or the pork will not braise in the sauce
** Chinkiang Black Vinegar is the Black Vinegar to hunt down. There are a number of brands in the Asian Grocery Store but this one is the best and most amazing flavoured.
** You can marinate the Pork first if you like. Shake off the marinade and reserve. Seal the Pork as above and then add the marinade bake in, baking under foil as above
** Chinkiang Black Vinegar is the Black Vinegar to hunt down. There are a number of brands in the Asian Grocery Store but this one is the best and most amazing flavoured.
** You can marinate the Pork first if you like. Shake off the marinade and reserve. Seal the Pork as above and then add the marinade bake in, baking under foil as above